Monday, March 27, 2017

Round 2 Of Short Letters

Hey fam bam and friends!!!!!!!!!! 

I didn't write last Monday because we actually something very sad happen.  Do you remember the Murphy family from McKeesport?  Sister Murphy's husband, Pat, passed away. 😢😰😱😭😰  I love the Murphy's.  Brother Murphy was truly a dear friend of many people.  Elder English and I both served in McKeesport so we asked President Johnson if we could attend the funeral and he said yes! So
last Monday the reason I didn't write is because we got to attend Brother Murphy's funeral.  The great part is that we got to see all the people from McKeesport like Jimmy Punjack, Patty Murphy, the Caslers, and even my former companion ELDER KLIMA!!!!!!!   I haven't seen him for over a year.  I was completely
blown away that he was there.  I even got to sit by him during the funeral.  We had a good talk and it was a wonderful experience!!!!! We hugged Sister Murphy and told her we love her.  I took many pictures that day!!!!!!  My friend, Elder Noyes, says hi.  He is a great friend and I love him.  His companion, Elder Snyder, also says hi!!!  

We did a lot this week- Butler is a very busy area (which is great when you got your bropanion!!!).  We have been working with our other investigator, Sara, consistently this week.  Our days begin at 6:00am when we run.  Some days it is difficult to function but we are working hard and doing well!  We have had great lessons with Sara.  Our friend from the Ward, Alan, showed up to a lesson in a Batman suit cause Sara wanted him to- which was hilarious! She told him to look for a Wonder Woman suit and Alan said " challenge accepted!" So now he is looking for a Wonder Woman suit for her. lol  Our convert, Joe, is focusing on getting the priesthood.  He wore a shirt and tie to church this past week.  He is doing great!!! 

Funny story of the week: Alan was of course in his Batman suit and we
went out around the town.  Everyone around Butler was giving him funny
looks but we thought it was the funniest thing!!!!!!!  I love you guys.  Take care.  Bye!!!!!

Elder Cahoon the Baboon

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Enjoy Til The End

Hello family and friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Good to know spring break is right around the corner- that's what I'm talking about!!!!!!!!!! I wish I was there for spring break but I'm living the better life on a mission doing way cooler things.  It's the best!!!!!!!! Hope you all enjoy the temple there and all the other stuff and hope it's a blast with all of the family.  Send me pics of what you do.  I haven't taken many pics lately.  Sorry if I my emails are not very long these days.  We are just busy on Pdays (especially in this area).  There is just a ton to do.  So sorry about the emails but missionary work comes first. :)  I am writing a lot in my journal so I won't forget the memories and experiences.  Our investigators are progressing.  It is an exciting time to be in Butler.  I love it here in the PPM.  

We just finished playing Zombicide (a board game) with a member and it was a ton of fun!!!! I got to blow up a huge mob of zombies.  It was like I was a character out of the Walking Dead!  The member came to the church to play with us.  We got to talk to President and Sister Johnson this week- as usual, it was good seeing them.  I had a great interview with President.  We had a good talk about me going home soon.  He told me that I didn't have much time left and that was weird for me to hear.  There are only 2 people in the mission that are older than me.  I'm finding that difficult to take in.  I'm learning that I must prepare myself for going home but continue to focus on my mission.  I will have to soon focus on want I to do when I get back- where I'm going and what I'll be working towards.  A lot has been on my mind this week as a result of my discussion with the President.  I'm just enjoying each week and will enjoy the ones I have left. 

I love you guys.  Take care.  Bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️

Elder Cahoon the Baboon

Monday, March 6, 2017

March Madness

A New Mexico license plate!
Hello family and friends!!!!!!!!!!!

It is a party here in PA and people are amazing in Butler.  Its crazy what has happened!!!!!!! So many wonderful miracles and its been a baller time!!!!!!!!
On Tuesday, I got my homie, new companion, Elder English!!!!!!  I love this guy so much.  He is a ton of fun!  I like to refer to him as my "Bropanion."  He likes everything I do and its absolutley wonderful!!!!  Tuesday night we went to play volleyball.  The new sister, Sister Stimpson, is sassy and it's absolutley HILARIOUS!!!!!  We all had a blast playing volleyball and we were killing it.  Sister Kelley, the sister that was here when Elder Ross was here stayed in Butler as well.  She is awesome.  If I had known her back home she would totally be with our guy crew.  Elder English is wayyy cool!  He is from Butte, Alaska.  When we got back to apartment Tuesday night after volleyball, we tried going to bed but it wasn't happening.  We talked about ourselves and tried to get to know each other better.  He literally likes everything I like- its awesome!!!!!!  He loves Dragonball Z and Anime, working out, the same tv shows and he played football and wrestled in high school.  We stayed up laughing and talking so we got to sleep kinda late.  However, we got up early and worked out!  Then we had District Meeting.  The District Leader is young but he is a cool guy.  We talked about safeguards.  

Bro. Popa, Joe, Elders English and Cahoon
We saw Joe everyday this week.  We talked about the temple and about him serving in the church by holding callings.  He said he wants to be baptized for his father in the temple!  HOW AMAZING!!!!!!!  Fast forward to Saturday (his baptism day).  We got to the church at 7:00am and filled up the font.  When Joe showed up we took pictures.  Joe was so excited!  There was a pretty good turnout for his baptism.  Before his baptism, I started worrying that maybe he wasn't prepared enough.  At the end of the baptism, I asked Joe how he felt he said, "I feel great. When I went into the font I felt good but after I was baptized, I felt a warm feeling in my heart.  I felt power of the Priesthood from Brother Popa."  How amazing is that??!!!   My worries were immediately gone as I realized that he was truly prepared and he understood what he was doing.  The Holy Ghost witnessed to me that he was prepared and confirmed to him that he was doing the right thing! 

Filling up the baptismal font



On Sunday both Joe and Sara were at church.  As I began closing the Chapel doors prior to the beginning of Sacrament meeting, I saw Kevin walk in!!!! Remember Kevin?  He was the one that was having struggles and wasn't ready to join us at church.  Well, yesterday HE CAME TO CHURCH!!!!!!!!!! It was absolutley marvelous!!!! I was so excited and happy to see him!  It was an amazing day at church!  Kevin had a big smile on his face throughout Sacrament Meeting!  We had the opportunity to participate in giving Joe the gift of the Holy Ghost in Sacrament Meeting as well- Alan, a member who Joe likes, actually said the prayer.  We have yet to have an opportunity to talk with him about that experience.  We were so busy on Sunday. lol  Because it was the first Sunday of the month, it was Fast and Testimony Meeting.  Our investigator, Sara, got up and bore a powerful testimony!!!!!!!!!!! ðŸ˜±ðŸ˜±ðŸ˜±  She said she had come to know that the Book of Mormon was true by praying about it to God.  She also said that she knows that God is a loving Heavenly Father and we are all of his children; that He will help us in life.  I WAS BLOWN AWAY!!!!!!  It was just BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!  

I haven't had a lot of these kinds of experiences on my mission but I am grateful I am able to have them at the end of my 2 years of service.  Miracles are HAPPENING!!!!  I'm loving being here and serving in the PPM.  I don't have too much time left out here so I am going to continue to work hard and love it all!  Man, it is going to be hard to leave and go back to regular life.  I LOVE IT HERE!!!!!!!!!  At some point, I am gonna have to start thinking about civilian life- that's gonna be weird.  Anyways, I love you all.  Take care.  BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!❤❤❤❤

Elder Cahoon the Baboon